Next Up - Clemson

Duke's opening opponent in the ACC Tournament, if truth be told, is probably one everyone on the team would want to play: Clemson.

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Clemson advanced after a dramatic and tense overtime win over Georgia Tech.

This sets up a rematch after Duke's dreadful 72-59 loss to the Tigers.

Teams change a lot during the season, but Duke's is worth talking about.

In the Clemson game, Jabari Parker took six three pointers and got seven rebounds. In February, Parker had six games where he attempted just one three pointer and since the Clemson game, he's had just five games where he missed double figures in rebounding, and three of those he had at least eight. He's gone from an outside-in to an inside-out player. And he's become pretty dominant in the paint, too.

Additionally, Duke wasn't getting anything from Marshall Plumlee then; recently he's become a force. Clemson will have more trouble hurting Duke inside than the Tigers did in Littlejohn.

That's not to say that things will be easy or anything. Clemson is a tough, physical team and Brad Brownell is a tremendous coach. KJ McDaniels is an amazingly athletic guy who plays much taller than he actually is.

And there's always variables like foul trouble. You never know how that's going to play out for anyone.

Coach K has long said that he doesn't want his teams concentrating on revenge because that means you're thinking about a previous failure. It's a pretty smart approach, but anyone who watches his teams will notice that when they get a second chance after losing to someone they're...well let's say they play with unusual intensity.

Clemson won at Clemson largely because the Tigers were tougher than Duke. Losing is one thing, but being out-toughed? That's a major no in the Krzyzewskian scheme of things.

Duke might get beat Friday, but we'll bet you that the team will show an immense amount of toughness.